Patient Ms. J.J., 42 years old, initially saw Dr. Fan on August 6, 2005, because she had multiple sclerosis (MS) 3 years, with both legs, muscles stiffness, Tingling and Numbness one year; Long Thoracic Nerve Palsy 3 months.

1. Multiple Sclerosis (MS).

J.J. was found of having MS 3 years ago. The main problem was both legs were paralyzed and sensation changes. She already had two relapses. The Magnetic Resonance Imagining (MRI) scan showed that she had Spinal type of MS. The latest lesion was at T-10 level. When she saw Dr. Fan, she had obvious tingling and numbness below both knee, the muscle at both legs were stiff (or very tight), esp. at left leg, around knee and both feet bottoms. Sometimes, the patient felt she was walking clumsily. When she saw Dr. Fan, she could only walk / run about half a mile, otherwise, she would feel very tired.

Electric Acupuncture was used twice a week, individualized herbal tea (decoction) was used daily, according to traditional Chinese medicine theory and pattern diagnosis.

After 4 session of acupuncture (in half month), patient’s symptoms decreased by 50%, she said, “I could feel a big difference. Before, I had difficulty to manage the movement of my toes, now these toes are becoming mine and I could move them freely. And I could run two miles slowly.”

After 8 sessions of acupuncture and 4 weeks of herbal tea, the symptoms (tingling and muscle tight) decreased by 80%. Patient could walk more comfortably.

After 16 sessions of acupuncture and 8 weeks of herbal tea, all left of the symptoms are just 2%. She could run about 4 miles and feels good.

2. Long Thoracic Nerve Palsy

J.J had Long Thoracic Nerve Palsy when she did neck exercise 3 month ago (May, 2005). The main manifestation was she couldn’t raise up her right arm and hand, the right shoulder blade couldn’t close tightly to thoracic wall and caused “Winging of the scapula.” The recovery of this nerve injury needed very long term. After Dr. Fan gave 16 sessions of acupuncture and herbal capsule treatment, the function of right arm and hand recovered 100%, and “Winging of the scapula” was recovered 90%.

3. Tear duct obstruction

During MS and Long Thoracic Nerve Palsy treatment, J.J had left eye tear-duct obstruction, and the ENT doctor already scheduled a duct-formation surgery after conservative treatment failed. Dr. Fan added several acu-points and adjusted the herbal tea for this problem when treated J.J.’s main condition. One week later, the block was eliminated and the surgery was not necessary and cancelled.

4. Common Cold
During the treatment for MS and long thoracic nerve palsy, J.J. caught common cold, because using the acupuncture and Chinese herbal tea, the symptom was very slight. J.J. said, when she had common cold before, she always had harsh symptoms and stayed in bed 3 to 4 days.

J.J. feels acupuncture and Chinese medicine are very effective to treat MS and other conditions, they are nature therapies and mainly focus on adjusting body’s function or teach body to fight with diseases. There was no obvious side effects found during the treatment due to continue adjustments according to Chinese medicinal theory and pattern diagnosis. Currently, she backs to work and feel “everything is fine.”